Collection of hard truths, concise

Ryle, John C. 2007. Expository Thoughts on the Gospels. Vol. 3. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1990. Print.

On John 3:2 -- Nicodemus: "We know."

"Ever at the present day people will talk of 'we' in religions, long before they will talk of 'I.' --Weak faith strive to be hid in a crowd."

On John 3:1-8 -- New birth

"A day will come when those who are not born again will wish that they had never been born at all."

New Birth

with much relevance to today's sermon from Eph 2:1-3

John Ryle on John 3:1-8

"The change which our Lord here declares needful to salvation is evidently no slight or superficial one. It is not merely reformation, or amendment, or moral change, or outward alteration of life. It is a thorough change of heart, will, and character. It is a resurrection. It is a new creation. It is a passing from death to life. It is the implanting in our dead hearts of a new principle from above. It is the calling into existence of a new creature, with a new nature, new habits of life, new tastes, new desires, new appetites, new judgments, new opinions, new hopes, and new fears. All this, and nothing less than this is implied, when our Lord declares that we all need a 'new birth.'

"We should never 'despise the day of small things'"

A divine provision of encouragement during a time of anxiety over the souls of others

John Ryle on John 3:1-8

"The conversation between Christ and Nicodemus, which begins with these verses, is one of the most important passages in the whole Bible. Nowhere else do we find stronger statements about those two mighty subject, the new birth, and salvation by faith in the Son of God. The servant of Christ will do well to make himself thoroughly acquainted with this chapter. A man my be ignorant of many things in religion, and yet be saved. But to be ignorant of the matters handled in this chapter, is to be in the broad way which leadeth to destruction...

The history of Nicodemus is meant to teach us that we should never "despise the day of small things" in religion. (Zec. iv. 10.) We must not set down a man as having no grace, because his first steps towards God are timid and wavering, and the first movements of his soul are uncertain, hesitating, and stamped with much imperfection. We must remember our Lord's reception of Nicodemus. He did not "break the bruised reed, or quench the smoking flax," which He saw before Him. (Matt. xii. 20.) Like Him, let us take inquirers by the hand, and deal with them gently and lovingly. In everything there must be a beginning. It is not those who make the most flaming profession of religion at first, who endure the longest and prove the most steadfast. Judas Iscariot was an apostle when Nicodemus was just groping in his way slowly into full light. Yet afterwards, when Nicodemus was boldly helping to bury his crucified Saviour, Judas Iscariot had betrayed Him, and hanged himself! This is a fact which ought not to be forgotten."


Ryle, John C. 2007. Expository Thoughts on the Gospels. Vol. 3. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1990. 118-20. Print.

Daily Looking Upward to Christ

Daily Looking Upward to Christ

What will you get by looking upward to Jesus? Comfort and strength in all the daily battle of life. What thought more cheering than the thought that Jesus is ever looking at you and watching over you! What idea more strengthening than the idea that you are never alone, never forgotten, never neglected, never without a Friend who is “able to save to the uttermost all them who come unto God by Him!” (Heb. 7:25). This daily upward look at Jesus is a most important point. The life of Christ for His people in heaven is only second in importance to His death for them on the cross. The blood, the sacrifice, the atonement, the satisfaction for sin can never be too much prized or thought of. But the session in heaven, the priestly intercession, the daily advocacy of Jesus ought not to be forgotten. I sadly fear they are not so much considered in this day as they ought to be.

-J.C. Ryle
Tract: Are You Looking?

Snippets from "Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Vol. 3"
John 2:1-11

"All that their souls required"

Come to Christ Just As You Are: A Sinner

"Let there be no mistake in your mind as to the special character of the person who has come to Christ, and is a true Christian. They are not angels; they are not half-angelic beings, in whom are no weaknesses, or blemishes, or defects – they are nothing of the kind. They are nothing more than a sinner who has found out their sinfulness, and has learned the blessed secret of living by faith in Christ. What was the glorious company of the apostles and prophets? What was the noble army of martyrs? What were Isaiah, Daniel, Peter, James, John, Paul, Polycarp, Chrysostom, Augustine, Luther, Bunyan, Baxter, Whitefield, Chalmers, M’Cheyne? What were they all? They were sinners who knew and felt their sins, and trusted only in Christ. What were they? They were people who accepted the invitation I bring to you this day, and came to Christ by faith. By this faith they lived – and in this faith they died. In themselves and their doings they saw nothing worth mentioning; but in Christ they saw all that their souls required."

- J.C. Ryle
Tract: Christ’s Invitation

Daily prayer

“What I know not, teach thou me.”